Abroad Passport: January in Florence

Ciao! My name is Delaney Engel and I am a junior journalism major at the University of Maryland, with a passion and zest for life, traveling, exploring, and culturing myself in all different ways! This semester, I am studying in Florence, Italy where I have been engrossed in the everyday lifestyle of a native Florentine. Thus far, I have been here for 5 days and I am thrilled to share with you all my favorites that Florence has to offer! 

5 Places I ate at:

1. Zaza

   1. Delicious, traditional Italian food with a beautiful interior and a fantastic wine menu! It is located right in the center of town so it is great before a night out. The outside seating is beyond charming with heat lanterns and fuzzy blankets provided for warmth!

2. Sushinami

   1. This place has such a great vibe and truly allows you to try everything on the menu! There is a fixed price of 25 euros and then it is all you can eat sushi and asian fusion dishes. You must try the fried rice and the sakura roll. It is fantastic, especially when you need a change from Italian cuisine

3.  Trattoria 13 Gobbi

   1. Known for their 10 euro pitches of house wine and their spicy rigatoni (insert heart eyes here). Probably one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had, and Matt James from the Bachelor was at the same restaurant just the day before me!

4. Berbere 

   1. Amazing pizzas right behind my campus! They have a great deal which is 10 euros for pizza, a drink, and a coffee after the meal. 

5. Gelateria

   1. And of course, gelato! There are so many delicious gelato shops all around the city, but my favorite one has to be Gelateria. The marshmallow flavor is so sweet and delicious and you can even get gelato on top of a bubble waffle!

5 places I shopped at:

1. Zara

   1. If you thought Zara was good at home, it is even better in Europe! I can never walk in there without buying anything. It is a great store to have especially for all the basic clothing items you need or forgot to pack!

2. Maje 

   1. Maje is a French store located in Piazza della Repubblica. It is known for their cashmere and pieces that have been crafted with attention to every little detail. I recently bought a gold medallion necklace with my zodiac sign on it and have not taken it off since!

3. Massimo Leather

   1. Massimo is my favorite local Florentine I have met thus far! He is the nicest man and wants you to be truly happy with whatever you purchase! He has two stores right next to each other; one with coats and one with bags! Everything is amazing quality and beautifully designed. A bag I bought from home broke and Massimo fixed it for me for free! A trip to Florence is incomplete without stopping by Massimo Leather.

4. Gucci Gardens Boutique Shop

   1. The Gucci Garden Museum has its own boutique shop where you can buy pieces from exclusive collections. Not only is the shop amazing but the museum is as well!

5. Kiko

   1. The Italian makeup brand Kiko is superior to any Ulta or Sephora. The prices are amazing and the quality of the products are fantastic as well. My favorite products from Kiko are their lip glosses. They are so pigmented and glittery and go on so buttery smooth!

5 sites I saw:

1.The Duomo

2.The Gucci Garden Museum

3.Carousel at Piazzo della Repubblica

4.Pitti Palace

5.Boboli Gardens

5 Tips I Have for The Start of Abroad:

1. Pack light!

   1. You will do a ton of shopping while you are here, so pack lots of basics and essentials only! In addition, the living spaces are quite small so there will not be much room to put things.

2. Be open minded!

   1. Being abroad is a once in a lifetime experience, so be open minded about everything there is to see and do. Even if museums are not particularly your thing, go! This is a time to try new experiences and go out of your comfort zone, so take full advantage of all of the opportunities granted to you!

3. Book weekend trips in advance! 

   1. Traveling on the weekend can become overwhelming and exhausting, so try as much as possible to book ahead of time. In addition, flight and train prices literally go up by the minute so it is best to plan as far in advance as possible. 

4. Talk to locals!

   1. One of my favorite parts of being in Italy so far has been meeting the local people. I met my next door neighbor, Phillip who is a fashion designer, and he recognized me walking home and we walked together! We chatted about New York and that he went to school there and I love learning from all of the Florence natives who truly know the city best!

5. Walk!-Try not to take taxis!

   1. Walking really helps you learn the city and become aware of your surroundings, in addition to being a great source of exercise when going to a gym is often inconvenient. The roads in Florence are tiny and all cobblestone, and sometimes it will even take you longer to get to your destination. Lastly, walking will also save you money even though the taxis here are not too expensive

Written By Delaney Engel, University of Maryland ‘23